We May Soon Detect Parkinson’s Disease Years Before Any Symptoms

Eight blood-based biomarkers could be the key to detecting Parkinson’s disease up to seven years before the first symptoms appear, which could lead to the development of a long-awaited cure for millions of patients worldwide.

“This means that drug therapies could potentially be given at an earlier stage, which could possibly slow down disease progression or even prevent it from occurring,” explains Michael Bartl, a neurologist at University Medical Center Goettingen and the co-first author of the study.

Parkinson’s disease is caused by a protein buildup in specific dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. So far, the only treatments available are reactive, meaning they control symptoms – tremors, slow movements, stiffness, and a loss of balance – once the diagnosis is made. Blood samples were collected from 99 people who have Parkinson’s disease and 36 people who do not. A selection of 70% of these samples was analyzed, and a machine learning algorithm identified eight proteins appearing in different concentrations in the blood of those with the disease. In a follow-up evaluation, the remaining 30% of blood samples – from 30 people with Parkinson’s disease and 11 without it – were analyzed, and the algorithm correctly diagnosed every patient. Still in its early stages, the test has the potential to “provide a diagnosis with 100% accuracy;” it allows patients to enrol in experimental trials of preventive treatments as a proactive measure.